Lyrics
[Intro]
[female vocal
Soft]
Tiny hands in iron frames
Pretty
Quiet
Sit up straight
[male vocal
Soft]
Little fists in bigger gloves
Told to clench
Never shake
[Verse 1]
[male vocal]
"Stand up straight
Be the rock
Not the rain" they said
Bit my lip
Turned the flood into flame in my chest
Every bruise I turned to brag
Every break I turned to bragging rights
All that weight on my back
Till my shadow felt twice my height
[female vocal]
"Smile for them
Be the glass on the shelf
" they hum
Knees on pins
Learning how to say yes with my tongue
Every dress a quiet cage
Every compliment a careful cage
Shake my head
They shake their heads
Call it "just another phase"
[Pre-Chorus]
[dual vocals
Building]
How long do we play these parts
Lines written long before our hearts
You say "that’s just how it is"
I say
"who decided this?"
[Chorus]
[dual vocals
Big]
We are not your 1800s
We are not your paper dolls
Boys can cry and girls say "not this"
We are breaking down these walls
You can keep your rusted stories
Frame them
Hang them in your hall
We are not your 1800s
We were born to rewrite it all
[Verse 2]
[male vocal]
Teach me rage
Never taught me how to name my hurt
Taught me fists
Never taught me how to stitch my shirt
Called it "strong" when I was stone
Clapped when I was cold and hard
But my chest is not a vault
It’s a cracked and crowded yard
[female vocal]
Pulled my skirt
Every time I tried to take up space
Pulled my dreams
Off the wall
Said "that’s a waste"
"Good girls don’t raise their voice"
"Good wives don’t raise their choice"
If I bend
I start to break
If I speak
They call it noise
[Pre-Chorus]
[dual vocals
Tighter harmonies]
How long till we burn this script
Tear the binding
Loosen grip
You say "that’s just how it was"
We say "watch what happens next"
[Chorus]
[Chorus]
[Bridge]
[piano only
Hushed]
[female vocal]
Let the boy hold his brother
Till his shoulders finally shake
[ male vocal
Low ]
Let the girl sign her name
On the life that she will make
[dual vocals
Rising]
Teach our sons they’re more than armor
Teach our daughters more than grace
Every child an open canvas
Not a costume
Not a cage
[crescendo]
[female vocal]
I am not your quiet ending
[male vocal]
I am not your sharpened blade
[dual]
We are here
We are rewriting
Every rule you ever made
[Chorus]
[Chorus]
Style
cinematic modern pop duet over stringspianoand hybrid drums. verses trade female and male vocals in tight call-and-response; pre-chorus stacks harmoniesthen chorus explodes with full orchestrabig tomsand crowd-style backing vocals. bridge strips to piano and subtle padsthen swells back with layered choir and octave female/male lead for a cathartic final hook.male vocals
Prompt
Female and male vocals symphony. A song about expectations. About how society is still stuck in the 1800s. Boys being taught not to cry just control. Girls being forced to bend by men’s will. Unfair.
Credits
Prompt by
Artemis15
Artemis15GeneratedJan 1, 2026
ModelAria v5
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